Handling behavioral issues can feel like walking a tightrope—wanting kids to feel loved and welcomed while also maintaining a safe and fun environment for everyone. In this episode of Kids Ministry Answers, Jonathan has a question about how to respond to behavioral challenges in a way that focuses on positive outcomes. So Linda and Jason share a simple, grace-filled framework to help leaders and volunteers correct behavior with clarity, consistency, and care.

QUESTION:
“How do you handle behavioral issues in a graceful way that focuses less on consequences and more on positive outcomes, while keeping the environment safe and fun?” — Jonathan

ANSWER:
In this episode, we’ll talk about how to:

• Protect the environment so every child and volunteer feels safe and supported
• Use a clear “Redirect, Remove, Refer” framework to respond calmly and consistently
• Partner with families to support long-term growth, not just short-term compliance

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at kma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you look for kids ministry ideas, volunteer strategies, and ministry tools you can use right away.
If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Volunteer Handbook
• Parent Conversations - Behavioral Problems

When ministry projects pile up, it’s easy to unintentionally let your volunteer team building take a back seat—leaving even great teams feeling under-equipped or under-engaged. In this episode of Kids Ministry Answers, Amanda Holt has a question about how to empower volunteers to lead in kids ministry. So we asked Elle Campbell, co-founder of Stuff You Can Use, to join Linda and Jason to share practical ways to recruit, train, support, and inspire volunteers to lead with confidence and ownership.

QUESTION:
"How can I help my volunteers step into leadership and take initiative?" — Amanda Holt

ANSWER:
In this episode, we’ll talk about how to:

• Ask big by casting a compelling vision that helps volunteers see the meaningful impact of their role
• Recruit well by inviting the right people into the right roles and structuring teams intentionally
• Train them with clear expectations, vision resets, and ongoing leadership development
• Support them emotionally, relationally, and practically so they feel valued, equipped, and inspired to keep leading

Ask a Question:
Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for practical ideas, leadership tips, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Volunteer Handbook

Trying to plan two weekly gatherings can leave leaders feeling stretched thin—worried about being repetitive, running out of energy, or needing to use a variety of curriculum. In this episode of Kids Ministry Answers, Mallory from Wisconsin has a question about using one curriculum for both midweek and weekend services. So we asked Linda Moon and Jason Sivewright to share practical ways to stretch a single lesson across multiple gatherings—no matter what curriculum you use—without doubling your workload.

QUESTION:
“How can I use my Grow Kids subscription for both midweek and weekend services?” — Mallory, Wisconsin

ANSWER:
In this episode, we’ll talk about how to build sustainable rhythms by intentionally dividing one lesson across two environments in ways that play to their strengths.

Main Points:

• Understand your program structure by identifying what each gathering does best.
• Understand your lesson format so you know where to place setup, teaching, and application moments.
• Divide your lesson strategically by splitting it evenly, by vibe, or by purpose—depending on your context.

Evaluate what’s working by testing one approach, getting volunteer feedback, and adjusting as needed.

Ask a Question:
Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for practical ideas, leadership tips, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Grow Lesson Builder

Building a strong kids ministry team doesn’t start with training—it starts with connection. In this episode of Kids Ministry Answers, Jason Sivewright and Dr. Linda Moon respond to a great question from Pastor Elton about hosting intentional, quarterly gatherings that help volunteers connect, grow, and enjoy ministry together. This episode walks through practical ways to set the vibe, spark conversation, and create meaningful shared experiences for your team. You’ll walk away with ideas you can scale up or down to fit your ministry context and help your specific team.

What We Cover:

• How to set the vibe with music, food, and a warm environment
• Easy ways to help volunteers connect and start talking
• Games and activities that build teamwork (not stress)
• Strategic conversations that strengthen your ministry culture
• How to help volunteers stay connected outside of church

Ask a Question:
Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for practical ideas, leadership tips, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Planning View
• Volunteer Kick-Off Event
• Family Open House
• Volunteer Celebrations
• Volunteer Tools
• Volunteer Discussion Groups
• Volunteer Bundle

Rest can feel surprisingly difficult in ministry—especially when the work never really slows down. In this crossover episode, Brooklyn from Youth Ministry Answers joins Jason and Dr. Yulee Lee from the Stuff You Can Use team to talk about why rest often feels risky for kids and youth pastors, and how unrest can show up beneath exhaustion, overwhelm, or transition. 

Ask a Question:
Have a kids or youth ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for practical ideas, leadership tools, and conversations you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

If you’ve ever looked at your volunteer schedule and thought, We need more help, you’re not alone. In this episode, Linda and Jason sit down with Kegan DeWitt to walk through five simple, practical ways to recruit parent volunteers for kids ministry.

Ask a Question:
Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for practical ideas, leadership tips, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

VBS season has a way of sneaking up on you. In this episode, we’re joined by Emily Nguyen to talk through how to prep for VBS in a way that’s thoughtful, strategic, and actually doable.

Together, we walk through how to set clear goals for your VBS, simplify your planning, recruit and care for volunteers, and make sure families actually hear about it. We also talk about partnering with parents, other churches, and your community so VBS isn’t just a fun week—but something that sticks.

Ask a Question:

Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:

Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more practical ideas, creative activities, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

What's Cookin'? Free VBS —A 4-day VBS for children's ministry from Grow Curriculum! 

Merry Christmas from the Kids Ministry Answers team! In this short holiday episode, Linda and Jason take a moment to say thank you, wish you a merry Christmas, and share a quick preview of what’s coming up next on the podcast.

Whether you’re wrapping up a busy season of ministry or finally getting a chance to rest, we hope you’re able to slow down, celebrate, and enjoy time with the people you love. We’ll be back soon with more practical conversations and ideas for kids ministry leaders.

Ask a Question:

Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:

Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more practical ideas, creative activities, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Christmas is a huge moment in kids ministry, and sometimes you just need a few fresh ideas to keep things fun, meaningful, and memorable. In this episode, Linda and Jason share ten creative Christmas ideas from the Stuff You Can Use team—simple, affordable, and totally doable no matter your ministry size. From cozy events to high-energy games to activities that bring families together, this episode is packed with inspiration for the season.

Ask a Question:

Have a kids ministry question you want us to talk about? Send it in at KMA.show and your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:

Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for more practical ideas, creative activities, and ministry tools you can use right away. If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

Christmas Bundles from Grow Kids — Each bundle includes a teaching series, an event, and an original Christmas song from Grow Music. Available at growcurriculum.org

Volunteers are the heart of your kids ministry — but celebrating them consistently (and creatively) can be tough. In this special crossover episode, Elle Campbell, co-founder of Stuff You Can Use, joins Linda and special co-host Damean Easter of the Youth Ministry Answers podcast to share practical and meaningful ways to appreciate your team all year long. You’ll learn how to celebrate volunteers for what they do and for who they are — without breaking your budget or burning yourself out. 

What We Cover:

• How to celebrate volunteers annually, monthly, and weekly
• Creative ideas that build culture (not just hype)
• Why “boring but consistent” matters more than big gestures

Ask a Question:
Got a question you want answered? Send it in at kma.show — your question might be featured in a future episode!

Subscribe & Review:
Subscribe to Kids Ministry Answers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen for children’s ministry ideas, volunteer care tips, and Sunday School strategies you can use right away.
 
If this episode was helpful, leave a quick review to help other leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:

• Volunteer Kick-Off
• Volunteer Tools
• Volunteer & Parent Celebrations